Department for Transport

Roads: Accidents

Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the STATS19 data published on 19 October on road casualties; and particularly any casualties involving e-scooters.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The STATS19 data on road casualties published on 19 October is summarised in the Department’s Reported Road Casualties Statistics Great Britain 2020 annual report published on 30 September 2021. E-scooter casualties during 2020 based on data reported to the police are summarised in a separate factsheet published alongside the annual report, which shows that in 2020 there were 460 reported accidents involving e-scooters resulting in 484 casualties, of which 384 were e-scooters users. The majority of casualties involved minor injuries.

Highway Code

Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the outcome of the consultation on the Review of The Highway Code to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, when they plan to introduce legislation to confirm the changes to the Highway Code; and whether rules for e-scooters will be included in the upcoming changes to the Highway Code.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The consultation on the proposed changes to The Highway Code closed in October 2020, with nearly 21,000 replies received, and the Government response to the consultation was published in July 2021. Given the feedback received, we will be seeking to introduce all the proposed changes and will lay the revised version of The Highway Code in Parliament shortly. E-scooters were not part of the consultation on the proposed changes. E-scooter trials are live in 31 areas. The evidence gathered during the trials will inform whether e-scooters should be legalised in the future, and how we can ensure their use is as safe as possible. Until we have that evidence we cannot commit to a legislative timetable.

Low Emission Zones: Climate Change

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment has been made of the impact of Ultra Low Emissions Zones towards meeting climate change targets; and whether any such assessments have been broken down into individual zones.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Local Authorities have the powers to implement charging zones in order to achieve environmental objectives, but the Government has not carried out an assessment of the impacts of implementing such zones to meet climate change targets. The Government is working with a number of local authorities to bring local roads to within legal limits for NO2 pollution. A number of these local authorities are implementing Clean Air Zones to achieve this aim, but the primary objective of these zones is to reduce localised NO2 concentrations rather than specifically targeting greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The Government’s assessment of the impact of Clean Air Zones in 2017 estimated a reduction in CO2 emissions of 0.2 MtCO2 over the life of the programme. Where Local Authorities are implementing a Clean Air Zone they are carrying out their own assessment. The Low Emission Zones and Ultra Low Emission Zones in London were implemented by the Mayor of London, who is therefore responsible for estimating and assessing its impacts.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Air Pollution and Carbon Emissions

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the additional powers local authorities may require to meet (1) the net zero target by 2050, and (2) World Health Organisation guidelines on safe levels of air pollution.

Lord Callanan: Local authorities have a combination of powers in housing, planning, transport, and environmental permitting which allow them to take action to achieve net zero and to improve air quality. Through the Net Zero Strategy, published on 19 October, the Government set out its commitments to enable local areas to make progress towards net zero. The strategy includes the creation of a new Local Net Zero Forum to improve collaboration net zero policies by convening national and local government senior officials. The Government is committed to improving air quality, including through reducing a diversity of pollutants that harm both human health and the environment. The Environment Act made improvements on the Local Air Quality Management framework to enable local authorities to take more effective, co-ordinated actions to improve air quality. It will also deliver improvements to public health by ensuring local authorities have more effective powers to tackle emissions from domestic burning.

Department for Education

Pre-school Education: Finance

Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government to which named funds the £500 million of families and early years funding will be directed.

Baroness Barran: Supporting families and children across the country to get the best start in life is a crucial part of the government’s ambition to level up. The £500 million announced at the Autumn 2021 Budget includes:£300 million to transform ‘Start for Life’ services and create a network of family hubs in half of the council areas across England. This package of support will provide funding for the creation of a network of family hubs (£82 million), infant and perinatal mental health support (£100 million), breastfeeding support (£50 million), and parenting programmes (£50 million) in 75 areas. It will also provide the 75 local authorities with funding to co-design their Start for Life offer with parents and carers and publish it in an accessible format (£10 million). Trials of innovative workforce models for health visitors will also be funded in a smaller number of council areas to test approaches to improve the support available to new parents.a £200 million uplift to the existing Supporting Families Programme to enable local authorities and their partners to provide help earlier and secure better outcomes for up to an additional 300,000 families across all aspects of their lives.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Armenia: Azerbaijan

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan regarding that government'salleged mistreatment and torture of Armenian prisoners of war.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: During her most recent conversations with the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, on 14 June and 6 September respectively, the Minister for Europe and Americans urged both parties to work with the International Committee of the Red Cross to expedite the return of all prisoners of war. The Minister reiterated this message in her recent meetings with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Ambassadors on 4 and 17 November respectively. In addition to the issue of prisoners of war, the Minister highlighted the UK's concerns over reports of war crimes and urged both Governments to take steps to de-escalate border tensions, undertake independent investigations into all allegations arising from last year's conflict and settle all outstanding matters solely through peaceful negotiation.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijanregarding that government's reported occupation of Armenian territory.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government is closely monitoring the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border following an increase in tensions on the border and exchange of fire on 16 November. Through the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and bilateral engagement in Baku and Yerevan, UK officials continue to urge the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities to settle all outstanding matters including the peaceful negotiation of their borders, in line with the Minsk Group Principles. The Minister for Europe and Americas has met both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Ambassadors to London in recent weeks to reinforce these messages.

Bahamas and Pacific Ocean Islands: Climate Change

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they are providing to (1) Tuvalu, (2) Vanuatu, and (3) the Bahamas, to combat the effects of climate change.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is committed to building global consensus to support Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including Tuvalu, Vanuatu and the Bahamas, to address their unique vulnerabilities to climate change and build resilient green economies of the future. The UK led a High-Level Roundtable on SIDS Access to Finance and a call to action for global reform which brought together SIDS, development partners (donors) and international organisations. The Minister for Europe and the Americas set out the UK’s belief that the current development finance system is not working for SIDS.At COP26 the UK amplified the voice of small islands and highlighted the need for drastic action to keep global temperature rises below 1.5oC. The UK Presidency prioritised pushing developed countries to address SIDS’ concerns about climate finance: scale of finance, finance for adaptation, access to finance and action to avert, minimise and address loss and damage as a result of climate change. The UK also announced a new £40m ‘Small Island Developing State Capacity and Resilience’ (SIDAR) programme, which will support capacity-building for small island states to better access funding and to build state resilience. This is in addition to a further £7m to support resilient infrastructure for SIDS.

Visas: British Nationals Abroad

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the effect of new visa requirements on outbound tourism from the UK into Europe.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The EU has legislated such that British citizens do not need a visa when travelling to and within the Schengen Area for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This applies to all British citizens travelling to and within the Schengen Area for activities including attending cultural or sports events and tourism.In addition to this, a separate short stay of 90 days in any 180-day period can be spent in each of the following EU Member States that are outside the Schengen Area: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania.

Interpol: Taiwan

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to call for Taiwan to be given observer status at Interpol.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Taiwan has a valuable contribution to make on issues of global concern, including efforts to combat international organised crime. We therefore support Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations, where there is no pre-requisite of statehood for participation. This includes observer status at INTERPOL. Taiwan's participation in this organisation would, in our view, reduce co-operation black spots, which pose a risk to the UK and our international partners.

Solomon Islands: Sea Level

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of rising sea levels on the Solomon Islands.

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask Her Majesty's Government how muchfinancial support they provided to the Solomon Islands in (1) 2016, (2) 2017, (3) 2018, (4) 2019, and (5) 2020.

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support theyhave offered to the Solomon Islands to mitigate risks from rising sea levels.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Pacific Island Countries such as the Solomon Islands are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The UK provides a range of support across the Pacific to finance adaptation in order to increase resilience to climate change. Overall funding to the Pacific, including to the Solomon Islands, has grown. The UK supported the Solomon Islands with bilateral ODA of £112,000 in 2016; £251,000 in 2017; £896,000 in 2018; £796,000 in 2019 and £896,000 in 2020.The consequences of the impact of sea level rise on maritime boundaries is of significant interest to the United Kingdom. We recognise the particular concerns of the Pacific Island Countries with respect to the stability of their maritime boundaries. As such, we are considering the Pacific Islands Forum’s Declaration on this issue carefully and engaging with a range of international partners on this topic. The UK Government has signed an agreement with the Pacific Community (SPC) for £263,000 (US$359,000) that will help the Solomon Islands and other Pacific nations secure the rights and responsibilities over their respective ocean spaces by providing technical assistance to establish the outer limits of their extended continental shelves.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Horticulture

Baroness Buscombe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theOrnamental Horticulture Roundtable Group report Growing a Green Economy: The importance of ornamental horticulture and landscaping to the UK, published in August, and accompanying plan Unlocking green growth: A plan from the ornamental horticulture & landscaping industry.

Lord Benyon: Defra recognises the crucial role that the domestic ornamental horticulture industry plays both in promoting people’s well-being and to the economy. The Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group (OHRG) report and associated action plan identifies how barriers to the sector’s growth can be unlocked through a collaborative approach between Government and industry. Whilst no specific assessment of this has been made, Defra has been working closely with the OHRG and the sector to build on good work already happening within the industry, and will ensure that where Government can help, it will support the opportunities outlined in the report and its associated action plan.

Home Office

Asylum: Economic Situation

Baroness Stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the net contribution to the economy generated by those granted asylum in the UK over the financial year 2019–20.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office has not made an assessment of the net contribution to the economy generated by those granted asylum in the UK over the financial year 2019–20.

Visas: Tourism

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to mitigate visa requirements for UK residents seeking employment in UK companies operating in the UK to the EU tourism industry.

Lord Greenhalgh: Our new relationship with the EU means that there are new rules in place for UK nationals travelling to the EU. For short-stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, UK nationals will not need a visa when travelling to and within the Schengen Area, where they are undertaking a limited range of activities such as attending meetings, tourism, cultural or sporting events. Under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU, business travellers do not require a work permit to carry out certain short-term business travel activities, such as attending meetings and conferences, providing after sale-services, or translation and market research services, unless otherwise stated in the agreement. For those undertaking longer-term stays or providing a service under a contract, a visa and/or work permit may be required. We have published guidance on GOV.UK for businesses to support our new trading relationship with the EU. This includes enhanced guidance on EU Member State’s immigration systems which provides UK business travellers with a better understanding of the visa and work permit routes available. We are continuing to engage regularly with our embassies to better understand the requirements in Member States, and to support UK nationals and businesses when they travel abroad.

Northern Ireland Office

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of On The Run letters of assurance; and what plans they have, if any, (1) to withdraw such letters, and (2) to declare them ineffective.

Lord Caine: In July 2014, Lady Justice Hallett published a report following her review of the “on the run” administrative scheme. The review found that while the scheme contained a number of flaws, it was not unlawful. In September 2014, the Government set out fully its position in relation to the scheme in statements to the House of Commons. In doing so, the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland made clear that the scheme was at an end and that there was no basis, legal or otherwise, for any reliance on letters received by so-called “on the runs” under the scheme.